Online services may be unavailable on occasions during Saturday 26th May 2012 and Sunday 27th May 2012 due to essential maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and we'll be aiming to minimize any distruption.

Sex Establishment Licensing

A sex establishment licence is needed from the Council to operate one of the following listed businesses

  • Sex Shop
  • Sex Encounter Establishment - which includes a business providing lap dancing or pole dancing etc
  • Sex Cinema

Information on the licence requirements and the application process can be accessed through the Information and Application link on the right of this page.

The Council adopts legislation to licence Sexual Encounter Venues

On the 8 December 2010 this Council agreed to adopt the controls brought about by the Policing and Crime Act 2009.  This means that from the 1 February 2011 no new lap dancing clubs are able to open without first obtaining a licence to do so from the Council.

The first 12 month will include a ‘transitional period’ which will allow any existing sexual entertainment venues currently regulated under the Licensing Act 2003 to continue to operate.  The ‘transitional period’ is to allow the existing premises sufficient time to become licensed.  If they fail to do so it will be an offence to continue to use the premises as a sexual entertainment venue and the operators that do could face fines of up to £20,000.

Applicants for a new licence must give public notice of the application and residents are permitted to object to an application on the basis that it would be inappropriate given the character of their local neighbourhood.

Under the new legislation, the Council is be able to impose a wide range of conditions on a licence and could choose to set a quota on the number of lap dancing clubs they feel is appropriate for a particular area.

Currently East Devon has one sexual encounter venue operated under the Licensing Act 2003.  This business has 12 months from the 1 February 2011 to obtain an appropriate licence from the Council.  It is anticipated that the new legislation will not mean an increase in this type of business as it has been relatively unrestricted to date.

Page last updated on 25 May 2012